


The Modern Way

by brutti_ma_buoni



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Community: spnkink_meme, Cute, Frustration, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-24
Updated: 2013-04-24
Packaged: 2017-12-09 10:08:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/772989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brutti_ma_buoni/pseuds/brutti_ma_buoni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the kinkmeme prompt:  J1 was raised in the Old Way: Alpha sees omega; Alpha knots omega; Alpha and omega live Happily Ever After.  Unfortunately, social mores have "evolved" since his grandwolf's day and courtship is all the rage now. He's never wanted to bother with it, but his mother won't stop harping on him about when he's going to give her grandpups. J1's not going to run out and knot just anyone--that's illegal now. Consent matters these days. Trouble is, he doesn't have a clue how to court anyone (he's sure Chad is giving him bad advice), and now he's got his eyes on J2, a guy who might be his his Meant To Be. (Also happy to twist the prompt and have an omega tolerating the courting but wanting the old way more.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Modern Way

In the end, it's probably a good thing that Jensen buckles. He does wonder, after, how long Jared could have spun the whole thing out, but it gives him a little cold sweat as well as an internal chuckle. Months, probably. Endless, sexless months.

It is the flowers that do it. They are _bad_ flowers. Jensen isn't against flowers as such. In parks, for example. And sometimes he notices other people's houses, with flowers, and approves. But flowers-and-Jensen aren't a thing. He does not – so far as he knows – own a vase.

And yet, there's Jared, at his door. With flowers. Big pink flowers. Drooping. They are _not_ flowers Jensen wants to receive.

"Dude," says Jensen. "This has to stop."

Jared goes a little pale. He squares his shoulders, nods, and takes a breath. He looks very sad. Jensen is, briefly, confused. Then there's a moment where Jared kind of _ripples_ , in a way Jensen is very familiar with. A way that makes him tingle in _all_ the right places. He hasn't seen it much from Jared before, mostly other alpha guys, and he's never liked them enough to take the crap personality as well as the much-wanted knot. But now, he thinks, Jared's there. _Finally_.

Jared breathes again. The alpha-ripple goes out of him. "I'm sorry. I thought you'd like- But it's not going to work, is it?"

Jensen gulps. The pit of his stomach drops; acid churns in the remainder. "What? No! I'll take the flowers, if they mean that much to you. It's okay." It's a kneejerk desperate response, and even as he says it, Jensen regrets it. He has a terrible vision of his future, accepting girlish tributes to keep Jared happy. Um. No. He wants Jared, but not on just any terms.

"Jay? You want to come in and talk?"

Jared blinks. He looks a little less unhappy, but not entirely. "Really? But we'll lose our table at La Flamme."

 _Good._ Jensen has had enough small fancy plates of food that is only food because you're allowed to put it in your mouth and swallow, not because it satisfies hunger or tastes like anything a guy might voluntarily consume. He likes fancy French wine, occasionally, but maybe twice a year is _plenty_. Jared has taken him to La Flamme five times in a month. Each time, he sits, looking awkward at the tiny table, miserably consuming quail eggs with trout. Jensen just _knows_ that Jared gets a burger on the way home after one of their dates. He knows, because he does the exact same thing. And once had to hide under a table at an In-N-Out when Jared came in just after him. He'd been hoping the fancy dates would wear off once Jared relaxed, once they knew they were good together. But apparently not.

"Come in," he says it a little more firmly. He doesn't want to tread all over Jared's alpha, but being silently submissive all month has done nothing for Jensen's digestion or his increasingly desperate need to be fucked by this big, gorgeous alpha guy who has been starring in his fantasies ever since they met at Silverstein's office. It's time to get a little modern about this.

Jensen has beer. Beer seems like a good idea. Also, food. Jensen dials for pizza, without asking. Jared looks vaguely startled, but settles into the couch, PBR in hand. He may be uncomfortable with the general situation, but jeez, he looks good on Jensen's couch. With beer. Way better than he does looming over a tiny tea light at La Flamme. Apart from the fact that Jensen's kitchen sink is now full of drooping pink flowers, the whole situation is much more what he'd hoped for the first time Jared asked him out.

Pizza securely ordered, Jensen drops onto the couch next to Jared. This is an opportunity, he registers, not just for Big Important Talking (which, obviously, is important and must happen and-) but also for Jared to just _knot him already_. It's kind of a shame he notices that, because it means his attention is now divided between the important talking part and mouthwatering fantasies of Jared bending him over the arm of the couch and-

Talk. Yes.

"Jared," he starts. Jared looks over, confused and slightly miserable. "I- I don't know where we are here."

Jared looks still more miserable. "I did it all wrong, didn't I?"

"No." _Yes?_ Jensen doesn't honestly know what Jared was aiming for, but it's probably not confusion and sexual frustration, which is where they are now.

Jared blurts, "I just- I wanted to do it, right, you know? The modern way? Mom always says it matters- But then Grandpa never had any truck with- So, it's not, like, easy, and it feels all weird and not _me_. So I asked Chad, and I'm not sure-"

There's a moment of utter bliss, as Jensen works out where the flowers came from, and very likely La Flamme. And the drive to the beach to watch the waves, which contrary to all his expectations did not involve being fucked senseless under the moonlight. "Chad's been advising you? But he's beta. And straight." And the most tasteless human being in the world. But probably a well-meaning one here, so Jensen doesn't actually say it aloud. "Um. Why?"

"Because I like you," says Jared, miserably.

"Uh." Jensen fails to understand why that sounds like a bad thing.

"Like, _really_ like," Jared adds, earnestly. There's a part of Jensen that is cheering here, because, duh, mutual. But he still needs to understand whether the past few weeks have been kind of lousy because he and Jared actually don't fit, or whether there's another thing here. So, he waits. "Like, maybe get you knotted, mate for good, have lots of babies and-" Jared stops, and actually slaps a hand over his mouth, eyes round with horror.

Jensen still fails to see the issue. Kind of. But it's starting to emerge, a little. "And you didn't want to tell me that?"

Jared shrugs. "Um. Not yet? I thought… we should get to know each other, you know? Courting?"

Jensen heroically doesn't beat his forehead and scream "Duh," at this point. "Um," he tries. "Yes? Good. I thought that's what we did. Till a few weeks ago. With the ball games, and that stupid fair with the stuffed animals, and the beach barbecue," and all the other good stuff where their two social lives had started to mesh and mingle and fit right. Before the whole French and fancy vibe overtook them and Jared started acting like a being from another planet.

"Consent is important," Jared adds, sounding like a high school textbook.

"Ahhhhh, okay." Jensen tries to find a way to say the next part tactfully, and gives up. "And I did. Consent. You remember that part where you asked me on a date and I said, 'Yes. I'd really like that. You're great to be around.'?" Jensen remembers, vividly, because of the humiliating squeak that took over his voice midway through the last sentence. Because he'd kind of been expecting (hoping) to be seized and knotted on the spot.

Jared nods, smiling. There is still no seizing, and no sex.

Jensen spells it out. "I was saying yes, Jay. To… everything, pretty much. This whole… this thing with the fancy dates and the flowers, I really didn't need that. I was already there."

Jared stops smiling. "Seriously?"

"Yes."

There's quite a long silence. Jared clears his throat. "So… you're saying we could have been fucking for a month now?"

Jensen suppresses a moan. Oh god, they so could. They could be fucking now, if only they could get past the talking part. But, apparently, they need the talking part. "Yes."

"And you felt like you'd been courted? With the fun stuff? You didn't need all this-" Jared waves a hand, nose wrinkling, like he feels about the past few weeks of weird dating froufrou pretty much the way Jensen does.

There's no holding back a grin, because it's pure relief. Jensen decided on Jared as his alpha within about an hour of meeting him. The last month is the only time he's been shaken on that. And it's all because Jared's too damn nice. And believed the letter of what they taught in school. And because between Chad and his mom and Grandpa Padalecki's caveman side he got a little entangled. "Dude, I liked you so much more before you started trying to be romantic. I mean, _really_ liked you." Jared's face falls a little. "I still do!" A little hasty, there, Jensen, but it's important. "Just, for the love of Mike, can we stop courting now?"

Jared sighs. "Again. We could have been _fucking for a month now_? We could be fucking NOW?" He sounds a little hysterical with want, leaning across the couch now, and Jensen puts down his beer with intent. This is going very much the way he wants.

"Yes- Uh. No." Dammit.

"No?" Jared rumbles it out, and Jensen gets that quiver again. The one about submission to his alpha. The one he's been _longing_ for.

"Uh, pizza guy'll be here any minute. And I'm hungry." Jensen doesn't need to mention Jared there. Jared's always hungry.

The point is made. Jared dials down a tone or two. "Okay. Okay, got it. But Jen?" There's a ripple in his voice still.

"Yes?" Jensen says it meekly, deliberately. _This is how I want it. Thank god we got here_.

"We're going to eat pizza. And drink beer. And then I'm taking you into your bedroom and I am going to _fuck you through the wall_."

"Yes." Dammit. There's that squeak in Jensen's voice again.

"And-" Jared adds as the doorbell rings and Jensen fumbles for his wallet. "We're not leaving the bed till Monday." He pauses to think. "Maybe not even then. Maybe not even till you're knocked up and _mine_." He pauses to think again while Jensen tries to feel outraged and mostly feels himself slicking up with excited anticipation. "Except for pizza. And beer."

"And coffee?" Jensen checks over his shoulder while he pays the pizza guy. He overtips wildly. Pizza, and money, are not top of his attention list just now. Coffee, though…

Jared tilts his head, slowly and consideringly. It's a joke, but it's also the assertion that he's not only the sweet modern guy who fumbled his way horribly through courtship. That alpha status means something. Not too much, maybe, but it's there. Judiciously he nods. "Yes. There could be coffee."

"Well, okay then." Jensen drops the pizza on the coffee table, and flops back onto the couch. Pizza beer sex coffee and Jared.

This is how life should be. And, apparently, it's gonna be from now on. Awesome.

***


End file.
